Game set
by Ifawishofwonder
Summary: Sequeal to Game on. Just how do they proceed?
1. the flirt up

It had been a matter of weeks since Hannah and Booth had broken up.

Nothing had really happened.

It was frustrating, especially to one regnant Forensic Artist. Angela who was enjoying the second trimester of her pregnancy much more than the first due to the fact there was less vomit, however was puzzled by her lack of libido.

It was disconcerting; it had made her incredibly jealous of anyone who seemed to be having a great sex life.

She had glowered at Cam when she had come in one morning after a very successful date with Paul. She had growled at Clark as he described in more detail than necessary his interesting night with his girlfriend involving his own personal strip show. She has Grabbed Sweets in a very delicate area when he had started to ask for advice in pleasing Daisy (Which on a side note had had the opposite effect.)

However the person or persons she was most mad with were Brennan and Booth.

Booth had mourned the loss of Hannah until Valentine's Day, when the situation hit him again and he became MAD. How dare she refuse what he had to offer? This had cumulated in Brennan going out of her way to help I'm get over his anger. She had drag him out to the shooting range until his Anger had turned back into a smoulder only to be completely dissipated when he saw her chuckling because she had managed to shoot out the shape of a heart on the target.

Brennan was the only person he knew who was more than happy to laugh at herself and went out of her way to do so. She entertained herself, probably always had. Booth felt privileged that he sometimes got to be in on some of her jokes.

That completely innocent gesture had made his day. It had made him realise that there was no one quite like her.

Hannah was quite easily forgotten when she was compared to Temperance Brennan. He should have felt bad but in that moment when she was happy he just couldn't feel bad.

From that day onward Booth and Brennan had come around to a new stalemate, one that involved blatant flirting and to Angela's displeasure the longest game of 'nervous' ever played.

Not that either of them would admit to it or acknowledge it.

It was frustrating and Hot.

_Really Really Hot._

They would walk around permanently touching. Booths hand at the small of her back. Brennan clutching on to his arm. Walking down the street with his arm over her shoulders her arm tucked around is waist. The moved in sync with each other never being more than 3 foot apart when in the same vicinity.

In the times they where apart, Booth could be found back in his place on the Catwalk staring at Brennan when she wasn't looking. Brennan had been caught more than once staring off into space obviously pinning for her FBI agent. Booth had been seen at the Hoover rearranging his photo in his office so that he could see a picture of Brennan from his chair, discreetly of course. Brennan had unearthed Jasper and Brain-smirff from there bottom drawer grave.

No one had seen them outside work because they had spent almost every moment together separate from the rest of the world.

For these reasons no one would be able to judge the artist for her distracted nature during the meeting they all had with the Canadian officials about their current case.

She hadn't heard the American Sheriffs arguing that the case was American because they had the most feet due to the fact Brennan had been 'fixing' Booths tie with accompanying languid chest stroking.

She hadn't heard the Canadians counter argument that they had jurisdiction because the current had been coming from north to south in that part of the river meaning that the body's had probably came from Canada as Booth had been tracing patterns 'innocently' on Brennan's Knee.

She had definitely not been engaged when the official had decide they would share jurisdiction and work together as Booth had been tickling Brennan's ribs in hope of getting her to laugh out loud instead of turning a bright shade of tomato and taking short puffs of air into her lungs every few seconds when she thought she could chance it.

That is why as they all started to say their goodbyes to their Canadian counterparts and the pair had decided to stand with Booths hand discreetly inside Brennan shirt on the small of her back Angela blew up like a firework.

"STOP, JUST STOP. I can't take it anymore. I have literally invested years into watching the two of you skirt around each other. Do it. Have sex. Like NOW. Go."

Booth and Brennan stood blindsided by her outburst. Booth pulled his hand back and they stood apart.

"Who us?" Booth scandalously asked.

Brennan looked to him as if she was seeking his advice in how to act, following his lead she said "Angela, are you ok?"

"NO" Angela yelled. "MY BESTFRIEND IS TORTURING ME WITH SEX."

"What? Ange you need to calm down stress isn't good for the baby" Brennan said in her best clinical tone.

"Exactly that is why you two have to have sex." Angela blurted.

"That makes no sense is this one of the occasions where you are living you're life vicariously through me? Because I really hate when you do that? If you want to have sex with Booth it is none of my business although I thought you where fulfilled with Jack?" Brennan whispered no too slyly to her best friend.

"Oh she is fulfilled alright" Hodgins piped up. "She is well and truly pregnant, or haven't you all noticed."

Ignoring Hodgins Angela continued. "NO this is when I am trying to get you to live your life not hide from it in a shell of denial."

"Hay" Booth interrupted before Brennan could reply. "I just split from Hannah; we are currently re-establishing Boundaries right Bones?"

"Uh yeah, I guess" Brennan had no idea what Booth was talking about but went with it.

"So you are planning on having sex at some point in the future?" Angela addressed Booth.

There was a snort from the Background and a Canadian voice was to be heard murmuring "he want to have sex with the ice queen."

Booth turned to address whoever had disrespected his partner only to be stopped by Brennan pushing against his chest to stop the motion. Brennan then turned around her-self with a large exhale.

"DR. Filmore" Brennan said evenly "It nice to see you once again."

At this the Canadian doctor smiled, which came out as more of a grimace. "Dr Brennan"

"You two know each other?" Cam asked sensing trouble on her horizons.

"Yes, we have met." Dr Filmore answers curtly.

Brennan gave her best innocent as sin smile before talking once more "I made a criticism of Dr. Filmores work as a Forensic Podiatrist a couple years back citing that a well trained anthropologist would be more than able to assess damage to feet making his field redundant. Dr Filmore unfortunately took my assessment to heart and hasn't quite got over it."

"A criticism more like an outright attack on me and my profession, you called me a 'redundant fool unaware of his own uselessness.' You called my article an exercise in self flagellation and self promotion, useful for only a comedic allegory in what happens when people are isolated from other real academic pursuits.'" Filmore supplied angrily.

Hodgins let out a chuckle only to be rapped over the head by Cam.

Sweets came out with an undignified "Whoa, dude total harsh man"

Brennan rolled her eyes at their antics. "Well it seems Dr Filmore you have a chance to prove you worth to me. Are you alright to work this case with me or is you ego irreparably damaged."

This time it was Angela who chortled and Cam grinned also.

"No Dr. Brennan, I am a professional expert."

"Good see you tomorrow" Brennan stated before she left dragging Booth after her.


	2. Rhino skin

"Whoa, there Bones" Booth said as she hurried in front of him.

Brennan was in shock absolute shock. How could that man be so offensive?

Booth thought she was worried about the setting boundaries thing?

Their communication skills where still very limited despite the extra touching and flirting.

"Booth." Brennan said pulling him further from the conference room, the conference room where she had been publically embarrassed.

"I like my arm in the socket, thanks." Booth chuckled. Not realising the urgency.

"I am hardly providing enough force to dislocate your arm and you are strong enough to resist me if you tried." Brennan said clinically. Her attitude was harsh she was about a minute away from tears. She did not realise her slight innuendo

Booth did.

"Really?" Booth said in a fake surprised voice, teasing her and wriggling his eyebrows in a suggestive way.

"Not now Booth." Brennan had finally made it to her office and closed her door, leaning against it in horror, finally allowing her unfazed exterior to fall.

"I hate that man Booth." Brennan said bitterly she showing her inner self to Booth. "Who does that? Who goes out of their way to embarrass a fellow colleague, grand standing his issues with me in a public forum? I have never been so embarrassed."

Booth was in awe, he had never seen his bones hurt by anything someone said so openly, that is why he thought she was over reacting. "Geese, Bones don't you think that's exactly what you did to him when you reviewed his article?" He laughed hoping to real her in from the edge 'Don't you think that embarrassed him a bit?"

"No of course not, I reviewed a peer's work. He attacked me personally."Brennan defended her eyes had gone wide at his implication.

"What he said sounded pretty personal to me Bones." Booth teased.

Brennan looked confused and hurt. "You're taking his side." Booth hadn't even read her artical and he was backing the other side.

"No, bones I'm your Partner I always got your back." Booth said taking her arm in his big hand.

"I don't need you to have my back I need you to agree with me." Brennan pushed as shepulled her arm away. "I can defend myself I just thought you would understand...?" Brennan trailed off.

"Bones" Booth laughed "You don't really care what that guy says right?"

"No, I don't care he is a cretin." Brennan said with undue force and resilience.

"Exactly" Booth said happily as he dodged that bullet.

"But I do care what you think of me, do you think I was mean? That I'm the ice queen?" Brennan questioned her voice lowered.

Uh Oh.

"Bones you called this guy useless and self absorbed and you have to admit you don't really think about how your words are interpolated by others. You hurt his feelings." Booth said gently knowing he had just dug his own grave for having peaceful pleasant day.

"So you think I am mean." Brennan asked with a hurt look on her face tears swelling in her eyes.

"Bones you don't mean to hurt people but when you talk it sometime comes off harsher than you intend." Booth screwed up his face trying to say the right thing.

"You think I'm mean." Brennan sat at her chair looking exhausted, she turned to the piles of paper work and shook her head. "I have work to do Booth."

"Bones come on..." Booth started.

"Work Booth, I will see you later." Brennan dismissed him.

Booth left her office having no other choice when she got like this. A slow tear ran down her face as she started to read the file at the top of the pile.

Booth bumped into Hodgins on the way out.

"How's our mighty Ice queen?" He joked.

"Don't let her hear you say that..." Booth said agitated.

"Sensitive women I feel you man." Hodgins goaded before turning serious "She is ok right? I mean she has skin as thick as a rhino."

"Well this rhino doest like her horn." Booth said as he walked away.

"Oh" Hodgins stammered.

The rest of the day went past very slowly for the partners. Brennan stuck to the inside of her office like a sticky-willy. Booth wandered around aimlessly looking busy at the Hoover.

It was 6:30 at night when they both finally gave up all pretence of normality. Booth had drive over t the Jeffersonian when he received her call.

"Booth I'm sorry" Brennan stated without greeting as soon as she heard Booth pick up. Brennan was feeling foolish from the afternoon blow up.

"No I'm sorry" Booth said, he was the one who had laughed off her hurt.

"Diner?" Brennan asked.

"Sure" Booth smiled. "I'm outside in the parking lot."

Brennan laughed "Checking up on me agent Booth, making sure I get home to bed on time." She teased.

Booth was relived they were now able to go back to their previous stalemate. It was really comfortable.

"Oh no I was just making sure you got into the right bed." Booth said in an exaggerated suggestive tone.

"And am I to assume the right bed is your bed?" Brennan laughed "That's very presumptuous of you."

"Nope Bones I think you are the one being presumptuous. I'm the wee Willy Winky just checking all the good girls and boys are in bed." Booth joked.

"He always sounded creepy to me" Brennan dead paned.

"Oh so your parents didn't completely deprive you of a childhood."

"No I just out grew nursery rhymes very quickly. I preferred to read books without pictures."

"I still read books with pictures."

"I like your comics its very Booth-y"

"I like you're wordy books it very bones-y"

They booth laughed realising that they where only separated by a car door. Brennan smiled "maybe you could let me borrow one of your comic books and I can let you borrow one of my wordy books" she said into the phone as Booth exited the car and walked her to her side opening the door for her to get in before walking all the way back to his side to return to his side before answering back into the phone.

"How about I read that review you made of Dr. Filmores work?"

"I... uh... Booth I don't want to fight again." Brennan said disconnecting the call.

"I know I wasn't trying to upset you. I realised today that I shouldn't take any side before I have the evidence at hand. If I'm going to back you up I should know what I'm getting myself into." Booth said lightly but with seriousness in his tone that made Brennan take him seriously.

"I don't think I was that mean, the things he said where completely out of context" Brennan pouted.

"Ok, so I get to read it right?" Booth coaxed he love it when she pouted.

"Yes, can I borrow a comic then? The green one?"

"Sure, hulk or green lantern?" He laughed.

"I don't know what that means." Brennan smiled looking at him cheekily.

"Well you will. I am going to be your comic book professor?" Booth said proudly.

Brennan got a coy look on her face before she turned to the window to hide her laughter and said. "Booth, I thought you weren't into that kind of thing?"


	3. takeout and stuff

The collected takeout on the way back to her place, she had beer he did not.

Booth opened her door with his key. Put the takeout down on the concrete table or as he preferred to call it the sacrificial pulpit. And made his way to the fridge, opening the door he exclaimed

"Kaboom"

Only to be greeted with an eye roll as she placed her coat on the coat stand and plopped her bag beside the takeout.

"your just glad there isn't a bomb in there, because If I have to visit your grave after you die you better believe I will have something amusing written on there to keep me interested and 'Special agent Seeley Booth war hero, FBI agent and hero to all, died suddenly due to an unfortunate interaction with a household appliance' would amuse me."

"Amusing my death is not meant to amuse you; you are meant to be heartbroken, weeping over my grave pleading to get me and my fine ass back. Of course you will have to get in line behind all the other heartbroken women."

"That will be a very short line, I'm sure I can wait, and you are right I would miss your fine ass. The rest of you I could live without."

"Nope. Nuh huh. I know you like the whole package don't pretend I haven't caught you checking me out." He said doing a twirl on the wooden flooring and striking a pose.

"That's rich coming from you; you aren't as sly as you think you are. Mr sniper."

He laughed and started dishing out the food as she open the beers and got out cutlery. Not wanting to pay for carpet cleaners due to the mess Booth makes with Chop sticks.

As they sat and ate silence took over as it usually does when Booths mouth is busy with food and she has learnt over the years not to interrupt their love affair. It was only after they had finished and Booth was still not talking that Brennan knew things where about to launch into the awkward territory again. Goody.

"Um about what Angela said today… you know about us and sex...um… that, do _you_ think she is right… about that."

Brennan raised her eyes in shock, apparently the flirting thing was over and they were actually talking about it seriously.

"Uh Booth are you sure you want to talk about this. You usually don't want to talk about this."

"yeah I mean I'm ready… are you?"

"Wow we are not having sex tonight; you really think I would do that, sleep with you because Angela is frustrated. I do not need bunches of flowers or dinner dates but I am not that easy to bed Booth. You are really bad at this. I really wonder how you got any one to sleep with you if that's your version of a romantic overture. Do women usually say yes to that? I may not be a typical woman but I find the fact that you think you can just say how about it and I will jump into your arms offensive."

"No I didn't mean that. Jeeze Bones no. N.O. I meant I'm ready to talk about us and sex and stuff."

"Oh that is less offensive. I'm sorry for misunderstanding you but you really need to learn to talk in full sentences with verbs and appropriate nouns. It can be confusing when you say something and you expect me to get it from your tone. I suck at non-verbal communication, you told me that."

"I'll work on it so how about it Bones. I'm still not referring to sex just to be clear"

"Better and yes I believe I am ready to talk about us and sex and stuff."

"good.

"yeah, good."

"Uh… where should we start?"

"I don't know I thought by the fact you brought it up you would have a specific starting place figure out already."

"Yeah, I don't, I figured you're the smart one you would know where to start."

"but you are the one who knows more about romantic relationships."

But you're the one who said she would teach me about family.

"family"

"Yeah you and me we make a pretty good start to a family, right?"

"You want to start a family with me. It is irrational but that makes me happy. Although I have not quite doubts but…"

"Niggles"

"Niggles?... I have niggles about what you mean when you say family, I don't want to get married; I don't want a load of kids, ONE at the most. Why are you laughing? I'm serious. I will not cope with the possibility of screwing up more than one child."

"You do realise we are discussing marriage and kids before we even have been on our first date."

"We have to, Booth with us it all or nothing otherwise it isn't worth the risk to our partnership, our friendship. You know that you are the one who made the line. You are the one who kept talking about the rules"

"I know it's just not how I expected it to be that all."

"Are you disappointed?"

"No its just, I can't help but think I'm missing something. It's not you I have always been like this."

"I can understand that. You want to be normal. I know the feeling, everyone knows the feeling."

"I remember seeing all the other family with Moms and Dads and there biggest problem was whether or not to have meatloaf on Tuesday night. Compared to my family…"

"When I was younger got upset when people pointed out that I was different, when I didn't fit in with everyone else but I got over it because… my mom she was really, really normal" Brennan paused as if remembering. "she worked in a bookstore, she went to PTA meetings, organised the neighbourhood watch, she always had perfect hair and makeup, she made cookies and baked muffins, she put dinner on the table for when we got home and she always managed to fit in everywhere she went. I resented her for it. I couldn't understand how a woman like her and a person like me could be related genetically. But do you want to know what the last thing she ever said to me was… we had been arguing I had bought a pair of those really baggy jeans with the huge pockets and she wouldn't allow me to wear them to school because she thought they were not fitting for young woman, she would have made me wear dresses every day if my dad hadn't stepped in, I wanted to wear them because that's what everyone else was wearing, I was screaming from the top of the stairs about how unfair it was and I just wanted to be normal when my mom slapped me then told me she didn't bring me into this world to be ordinary she didn't go through all of it to just have an ordinary daughter she wanted an extraordinary daughter and she thought she had one but obviously she had been mistaken." Brennan gulped to hold back the emotion that was threatening to come out. "I slammed the door in her face and snuck out with my jeans rolled up in my bag to wear to school."

"I'm sorry…"

Brennan interrupted before he could finish. "No, I learnt something from it, it put things in perspective."

"The last thing my mom said to me was 'don't eat all the pie'; I still disagree with her to this day."

"I can tell" she said pinching the non-existent fat of his stomach. " that was not the point, it was all a lie, at least that's what it feels like now, she wasn't perfect, she was a criminal, it was all a façade and now I'm left feeling like I never really knew my mom. To me all of the perfect families seem like a façade now, they might not be but it seems superficial and unimportant because I did know my mom she was the woman who wanted me to grow up and be amazing who sacrificed for me to have that opportunity. The last thing she said to me was probably the closest I ever got to seeing Ruth Keenan"

"I get what you're saying you should aim to be happy not normal; it's just not that easy." Booth said in a petulant tone.

"Ok, well I can help you, you know, I am very good at approaching a huge task and breaking it down into little bits. I'm very organised."

Booth laughed.

Brennan smirked.

"SO we are doing this then? I show you romance you show me family and we get to have sex whilst doing it right?"

"seems doable."

"Ok well I'm going to go now."

"What why, I may have reconsidered my previous stance on sex tonight"

Booth laughed.

"Nuh huh Romance Bones."

Booth snapped the door behind him leaving Brennan slumped on the sofa.

Suddenly her Phone buzzed.

"Hello"

"Hi"

"Booth? You just left."

"Would you like to go on a date with me?"

"Oh I get it you're doing the romantic thing,"

"Kinda ruining it Bones"

"Fine, where?"

"Surprise."

"Eurrgh you're not one of those guys are you?"

"Yep, and I'm still not telling you."

"Ok fine. When or is that a surprise to?"

"Nope tomorrow night."

"What should I wear? Angela will want to plan my costume"

"Fancy, I told you we were doing romantic and I would prefer if you chose you're own clothes you know me better than Angela does."

"Ok but you have to tell her, she will be disappointed she has been planning this for years."

"I will apologise to her tomorrow."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Pause as neither of the partners wants to hang up.

Brennan breaks the silence "Are you coming back in? we still have all the paperwork to do."

Booth laughs, "sure but I have to plan a big date tomorrow so I cant stay late, I need my beauty sleep."

"That you do."


End file.
